1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a building method for the construction of a house or the like.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
In building methods for construction of a house and the like, conventional building methods and prefabricated building methods are well known.
An example of the conventional building methods can be found in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI-4-222735/1992. The building method referred to is a traditional timber-frame building method wherein the building elements such as columns and beams are assembled directly at the building site and then used to assemble and erect walls and ceilings, etc. By contrast, the prefabricated building method involves the mass-production of house building elements in a factory and then moving them to the site for assembly. This building method generally comprises panel system and frame work systems. An example of the panel system is found in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI-4-309636/1992. The panel system involves erecting prefabricated panels at the building site to form walls and ceilings, etc. By contrast, an example of the frame work system is found in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI-4-285242/1992. The frame work system involves prefabricating the house building elements, such as columns and beams, made up of structural steel, for assembly at the site. Prefabricated panels are then installed in place.
The existing building methods described above, however, have the following problems. First, the conventional building methods involve a wide variety of rectangular timbers and boards, etc, which are then assembled at the site by carpenters. The amount of skilled site work is therefore increased, thereby increasing the cost and time of building. A high standard for heat insulation and sound insulation is also difficult to achieve. Second, the panel system as one of the prefabricated building methods involves preparing panels in a factory for assembly at the site, giving the benefit of mass-production. However, this system involves preparing a wide variety of panels, such as studs, boards, and heat insulating boards, so that its total material cost, and heat and sound insulation remain nearly equal to those of the conventional method. Such panels are also difficult to handle and therefore expensive to transport. Third, as another of the prefabricated building methods, the frame work system involves the site assembly and erection of the house building elements, such as columns and beams. This building method is therefore nearly equal to the conventional method with respect to the time and cost of installing the building elements as well as sound insulation and heat insulation.
Further, continuous footings for carrying the substructure of the building is disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI-4-309636/1992. The footing is cast in the ground by filling a trench with concrete immediately after it is dug.
This footing has a problem as follows. First, it requires a number of laborious operations such as trenching, backfilling, and erection and stripping of concrete framework. The time and cost of building is therefore increased. Second, since the erection of the framework needs skilled craftsmen and thus involves fully qualified workers, this may often be difficult because of the lack of skilled workers as well as the inconsistent quality of work. Further, the completed continuous footings are difficult to alter and may not accommodate changes to the height of the footing or the location of ventilation holes once the footing is built.